"I want him to know that he’s not better than me, he never will be better than me. Let’s get it on, let’s go to work.”

Adam Thorn catches up with Darryll Williams after his first week at the Hatton gym.

After the big news that unbeatenHellraiser fighter and English super middleweight champion Darryll Williams had moved to the Hatton gym ahead of his rematch with Jahmaine “Smasher” Smyle, we caught up with the "Ferocious" Forest Hill man about his first week up north. Hugely content and confident, Darryll wasn’t mixing his words. He had kind regards for Eddie Lam, his previous trainer at the iBox gym, but was obviously impressed after his inaugural week in Hyde. He also spoke at length about his views on his first defence and upcoming rematch, as well as the first fight in Leicester.

“Everything was in his favour. I was out of the ring for a year, the week of the fight I was sick. I wasn’t myself in the gym. I don’t understand how he lost. It was his hometown.” While he didn’t let on in the build up to the first fight, it’s pretty clear Darryll did not have the camp he’d wanted. Looking back he seems almost shocked that Smyle wasn’t able to capitalise on these advantages. The new champion also expects the previous one to stick to a game plan next time around, “I think he’ll try to box me this time. He won’t want to get into a war like we did last time.”

It would be fair to say Darryll is relishing the rematch, “He was saying they must be paying me a lot more to get back in with him. This isn’t about money, I just wanna fight him!” He went on to say that he expects it to be easier in the rematch than the first fight, “I was not even half the man I am. So I know now that not even my best, my half is good enough to beat him” With the expertise of Ricky Hatton, one of the best attacking fighters Britain has ever produced, Darryll thinks his game is going to be too much for Jahmaine. “I really think I’ll stop him, I’ll be able to sit down on my punches more.”

Self confessed fan of Ricky’s, Darryll is basking in the close quarters he’s sharing with Hatton, “Ricky was the first fighter I’d watch, I idolised him.” Explaining he felt his success in the last fight was when he was mobile, winging punches from angles and moving around Jahmaine, Darryll has been listening closely to Ricky’s advice, “I mean Hatton, that’s what he did, that’s how he fought, he’s the perfect man to teach me that. That’s what Ricky’s been telling me. Smyle’s not going to have an answer for that, all he can do is tuck up.”

Not only has the Londoner been impressed with how his technical game has come on, he’s also been whipped into good shape by Hatton Health & Fitness staff. “I can’t believe how my shape has come on, in a week! I’m ripped already!” And is enjoying the atmosphere and sparring with the likes of Mark Heffron, “Everyone’s sweet. There’s no favouritism.” Darryll has made no secret of the fact he just likes to fight, and said he’s itching to hear that first bell, and see how his new tutelage helps him in combat, “I wanna test out Darryll 2.0!”

Darryll "2.0" will be fighting Jahmaine Smyle on July 8th 2017 at the Copperbox in London.